Electric switch.



B. A. HALBLEIB.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.16, 1910.

1,010,753, v Patented Dec.5, 1911 WIIIIIIIHIIIIIIH HllllllllllllilllllWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIU UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. HALBLEIB, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NORTHEAST ELEC-lTRIO COMPANY, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 5, 1911.

. Application -led December 16, 1910. Serial No. 597,729. y

of the type in which locking means are provided in order thatunauthorized tampering with the switch may be prevented.

The object of the invention is .to produce a device of this kind whichis compact, simple and reliable, and, more particularly, to produce aswitch provided with a plurality of operating devices or plugs, all ofwhich may be simultaneously locked with each plug in either closed oropen position, as the case may be, so that the electrical apparatuscontrolled by the switch may be leftin any required condition. y

To the yabove ends the invention consists i in the electric switchhereinafter described,

The illustrated embodiment of the inven'-, tion isla switch particularlyadapted for use in connection with a motor-vehicle,y for controlling thevarious circuits thereon through which the electric lights, theignition'devices, the horn &c. are energized. It is illus-v trated .as

provided with four switch-plugs 5, though o viously the number may be1ncreased or diminished to any required ex-l tent. Each of theswitch-plugs 5 consists of a round rod of insulatin material, arrangedin vertical position an provided with an enlarged head 6 which may bemarked on its upper surface .to indicate the circuit controlled by thecplug. These plugs may be reinforced by central metal rods, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3. The switch-plugs are arranged to slide vertically throughopenings in the upper .and lower walls of a casing 7 by which all partsof the switch-mechanism are inclosed, except the upper and/,lowerextremities of the switch-plugs. Each plu cooperates with twocontact-springs-9 whic engage the" plug on opposite sides. These springsare made of resilient sheet-metal, and are fixed at theirrear ends, bymeans -of screws 11, to a base-plate 12 of insulating material. Eachcontact-spring has an inwardly-convex extremity 13 resiliently en gagingtheucorresponding switch-plug, and the switch-plug carries a movablecontactmember 15 in the form of a ring of metal 'provided with anannular concave surface, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings the switch-plugs are all show'n in depressed,open-circuit position, but when any one o'f the plugs is raised, bypressure against its lower end, the contactring 15 is brought intoposition between the contact-springs 9, thereby making electricconnection lbetween them and thus closing the circuit of which they area part. The form of the contact devices is such as to ret-ain theswitch-plug in elevated position until it is depressed again by pressureonits upper end. To secure a firm engagement of the contact-springs withthe plugs, each contact-spring is backed by aspring 14, of the formshown in Fig. 2, which is also secured against the base 12 by means ofthe screw 11. Each of the contact-springs is downwardly extended at itsrear end and rovided wit a binding-screw 16 by which 1t may be connectedwiththe wiresof the circuit of which y1t forms a part.

The means for locking the switch-plugs comprise a locking-bar 17 whichis wide and flat, and is arranged in horizontal position.y

This bar is provided with a series of ,openings 18of an approximatelyoval or keyhole form, and the switch-plugs pass through these openings.Each ,switch-plug is provided with two annular grooves 19 and 21,respectively, land the shoulders 26 (Fig. 4) which is inserted cupied bythe constitute abutthe locking-bar.

formed 'by these grooves ments to coperate with When the locking-bar ismoved longitudinally to its right-hand position the plugs slidefreelythrough the large left-hand portions of the openings, but when thelockingbar is in its left-hand position, as illustrated, it is adaptedto coperate with the abutments just referred to, thereby preventingmovement of the switch-plugs. the switch-plugs are in their loweropencircuit position, as illustrated, they are normally retained in thisposition by the engagement of the contact-springs with annulardepressions 20 in the position of the plugs the locking-bar engages thegroovesv 19 in the plugs. When any of the plugs is in raised orclosed-circuit position it is adapted to be locked in this position bythe engagement of the lockingbar with the groove 21.

The locking-bar is sup ported, near its ends, in bearings formed invertical partitions 22 and 23 near the ends of the casing 7. The bar isfree to slide longitudinally in these bearings, but is normally held inits lefthand position by means comprising an upwardly-bent lug 24 atitsleft-hand end and compression springs 25 engaging this lug and thepartition 22. The locking-bar is thus normally The switch is unlocked bymeans of a key through a keyhole 27 in the casing. The extremity of theshank of the key enters a metal socket 28 embedded in the base-plate 12.This key is provided with wards 29 which are adapted to engage the lug24, when the key is turned to the right, thereby forcing the locking-barto the right and into unlocked position. A block 31 provided withirregular upper projections is secured beneath the position ockey, so asto coperate with A plate 32 fixed 3l projects upwardly, so that itsupper ed e serves as a stop for the wards 29 when` t e key has beenturned to unlocking position. So long as the key is left in the loc inthe position described the switch may e freely-used, any one of theswitch-plugs being movable into either position. When the key is turnedagain to the left and withdrawn, however, the locking-bar is-moved tothe left by the springs 25 and thus locks all of the plugssimultaneously, each plug being locked in either upper or lowerposition, as it may happen to have been left by the operator. thelocking-bar, between its ends, against any forcible attempt y to. moveone of the switch-plugs when locked, a horizontal-partition 33 isarranged-in the casing close to the upper surface of the locking-bar,and

plugs, and in this" retained in locking position.-

.` when t e locking-bar 1s gagement with the plugs.

To support this partition serves also to inclose the contact-devices ina compartment b themselves. The locking-bar is supported om beneath bymeans of short vertical partitions30 in the casing.

The base-plate 12 is provided with openings 34 through which screws orbolts ma be passed to secure it upon the dash-board of an automobile, orupon any convenient support, and the casing 7 is removably secured inplace by means of screws 315 threaded into both the base-plate and thesupport. The arrangement of the parts is such that upon removing thescrews 35 the casing may be removed, together with the locking mechanismand the switch-plugs, while the contact-springs are left undisturbedupon the base-plate.

am aware that electric switches have been proposed heretofore in whichmeans are provi ed for locking the contact-devices against unauthorizedoperation, but, so far as I am aware, I am the rst to produce a switchof this type in which a plurality of switch-members may be lockedsimultaneously and particularly 1n which such members may be lpcked ineither open-circuit or closed-clrcuit position.

'I claim:

l. An electric switch having, in combination, a longitudinally-movablekey-operated locking-bar, switch-plugs arranged transversely to theloclng-bar and movable longitudinally into two positions, the plugshaving locking abutments for engagement with the bar in bothlongitudinal positions of the plugs, and means for retaining the plugsyieldin ly in both longitudinal posltions not in locking enelectricswitch having, incombination, a longitudinally-movable key-operatedlocking-bar, switch-plugs arranged transversely to the lookin -bar andmovable longitudinally into two positions, the plugs hav\ lng locking(abutments for engagement with the'bar in both positions of the plugs,and resilient contact-devices engaging the plugs and retaining themyieldingly in both longitudinal positions. x

3. An electric switch having, in combination, a series ofindependently-movable switch-members, a. key-operated lockingmembercoextensive with said series of switch-members and movable into and outof locking engagement with all of said members simultaneously,` eachswitch-member having locking-abutments for engagement with thelocking-member in each position of the switch-member, and means forretaining each switch-member yieldingly in each position when thelocking-member is not in operative position.

4. An electric switch having, in combination, a longitudinally-movablekey-operated several positions of the plug, and resilient locking-barhaving an aperture therein, a contact-devices engaging the plugk andresWitch-plug extending through said apertaining it yieldingly in itsseveral positions.

ture and longitudinally movable there- EDWARD A. HALBLEIB. 5 through,the plug having a plurality of Witnesses:

grooves for locking engagement with the FARNUM F. DoRsEY,

locking-bar, adjacent said opening, in the D. GURNEE.

